‘System is failing’: Local MPs call for urgent action on hospital water safety

Two Cambridgeshire MPs have backed a letter from Jess Brown-Fuller, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Hospitals and Primary Care, calling for an investigation into water contamination in NHS hospitals.

The Cambridgeshire Lib Dem MPs, Ian Sollom and Charlotte Can, warned that “patients should never have to worry that the very place they come for care could put their lives at risk.” They also raised concerns that the issue had occurred locally at the then brand-new Royal Papworth Hospital which opened in 2019, suggesting older NHS sites could be even more vulnerable. They said “Although the contamination of water occurred three years ago, it is completely unacceptable that this should have happened at all."

However, NHS officials have clarified the timeline. The contamination was not a case from “three years ago,” as the MPs suggested, but was first identified in 2019, just months after the new hospital opened. Royal Papworth Hospital says it took “immediate action” at the time, including installing specialist water filters, providing bottled water for the most vulnerable patients, and fitting hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet treatment systems.

The MPs argued that if such problems could arise in a new facility, it raised questions about the risks in hospitals with ageing infrastructure. They said: “Much of the NHS estate is unfit for purpose, with broken lifts, crumbling ceilings and leaking roofs now commonplace.”

(Picutred: Ian Sollom MP)

Royal Papworth has acknowledged the outbreak was serious, but stresses it was not linked to poor maintenance. The hospital confirmed that Mycobacterium abscessus – a bacteria found naturally in water, soil, and dust – posed particular risks to lung transplant patients, and that 21 people were affected in the months after the hospital opened. A coroner concluded inquests into two deaths in 2022 highlighted a lack of national guidance on dealing with the bacteria.

Chief Executive Eilish Midlane said the Trust had “followed national guidance in place at the time” and acted quickly to protect patients. Since then, 71 patients have tested positive for Mycobacterium abscessus, though the NHS says not all of those cases were linked to the hospital’s water supply. Genome sequencing suggests 39 cases are likely related to the outbreak, while some patients have tested negative again after only a single positive result.

Despite these reassurances, the MPs insist the incident shows systemic failings across the health service. They are calling for a national investigation into water safety and hospital estates.

Royal Papworth continues to carry out extensive testing and says its safety measures have been effective in reducing the bacteria. The Trust also says it is sharing its findings with health agencies across the country to improve standards elsewhere.

The Department of Health and Social Care has not yet said whether it will order the review the MPs are demanding.

Hear Ian Sollom MP talking to Black Cat Radio: